84-Year-Old Korean War Vet Shoots Home Invader With Over 50-Year-Old Gun
- Posted on May 9, 2012 at 6:57pm by
Mytheos Holt
- Print »
- Email »
ELIZABETH, Pa. (AP/The Blaze) – An 84-year-old western Pennsylvania man and Korean War vet shot and wounded a home invasion suspect, and then forgave the man’s family when they came to apologize.
Police said Raymond Hiles, 25, was captured Tuesday not long after trying to break into Fred Ricciutti’s Elizabeth Township home, about 15 miles south of Pittsburgh.
“My wife and I were asleep. We were staying downstairs because my wife is ill,” Ricciutti told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
Ricciutti said he heard a noise at about 4:30 a.m. and could see someone coming into the room. He pulled a gun out of a drawer, yelled a warning at Hiles and then fired once, hitting him in the neck.
Ricciutti, who was born in Italy, said he came to the U.S. in 1937, and later served in a tank battalion during the Korean War.
“In the war I experienced a lot of bad things, but I had never experienced that in my own house,” he said of the invasion.
Ricciutti said the suspect lives across the street, and he’s never faced any hostility in the town.
“I know the family. They’re good people,” he said, adding that they came over in tears to apologize for what Hiles allegedly did.
“I forgave them,” he said, adding that he couldn‘t hold them responsible for Hiles’ actions.
WPXI-TV first reported that investigators said Hiles was arrested a few blocks away, carrying a screwdriver and a stun gun. He’s being held on $100,000 bail on charges including criminal trespass and burglary.
Online court records don’t list an attorney for Hiles.
Authorities said they don’t expect to bring any charges against Ricciutti.
Local reports have pointed out that not only did Ricciutti shoot Hiles, but he shot him with the same German Luger pistol he had used in the Korean War back when he was a soldier.
H/T Fox News
Comments (29)
Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In
Popular Stories
MSNBC Host Snaps in Heated Segment: ‘What in the World Is Riskier Than Being a Poor Person in America?’ 679 Comments
Does Misstated Marathon Claim Prove Paul Ryan Is Dishonest? (POLL) 635 Comments
‘Jumah at the DNC’ Speaker: ‘Muslims Visited America Prior to Columbus’ & ‘It Was a Muslim’ Who Guided Him to the ‘New World’ 523 Comments
Obama: RNC Like Watching ‘Black-and-White TV’ Because Romney ‘Did Not Offer a Single New Idea’ 360 Comments
Have You Seen the Giant ‘Sand Obama’ Sculpture in Charlotte? 311 Comments
Faith
This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 134 Comments- Pakistani Muslim Cleric Accused of Framing Disabled Christian Girl in Koran-Burning Case Read More
- ‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 183 Comments
Meet the Controversial German Imam Accused of Brutally Beating His Wife & Pushing Sharia Law Read More
‘Self-Proclaimed Messiah’ & Unification Church Leader the Rev. Sun Myung Moon Has Died — Here’s His Life Story Read More
Business
- Germany’s Upcoming Court Ruling Will be Huge for the EU Read More
Ford Looks to Beat Toyota for Best-Selling Car in 2012 With This Model 146 Comments
Bernanke & QE3: Here’s What You Need to Know Read More- ‘Extortion’: Why Did the Labor Department ‘Drop the Hammer’ on Oregon Farmers? 300 Comments
Scathing New Ad Capitalizes on Rep. Ryan‘s ’Fading Obama Posters’ Remark 124 Comments
Technology
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 134 Comments
‘TaserDrone’: Hackers Weaponize Quadcopter With Actual ‘Shocking’ Technology Read More
Ever Heard of the Wild ‘Burning Man’ Festival in the Middle of the Nev. Desert? Here’s Your Primer Read More
Stanford Develops Technology ‘Better Than Steroids’ for Athlete Recovery Read More
Have You Pretended to Know What ‘the Cloud’ Is? You’re Not Alone Read More
Submitting your tip... please wait!
fastgunslinger
Posted on June 3, 2012 at 4:27pmSHOT HIM IN THE NECK. Better start practicing more. Glad the cops didnt arrest him.
Report Post »DenisWTexas
Posted on May 10, 2012 at 7:52amFINALLY a family with some sense and decency. Most people these days after finding their son had been shot robbing a house would sue the shooter. At least these folks were honorable enough to apologize for their own son’s delinquency.
Sounds like a bunch of really decent people in both houses. Too bad one bad egg has to bring them together in this manner. Maybe he’ll spend his time in jail thinking about how to be more like his folks…
Report Post »do_it_all_again
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 2:16amplease tell me why its always “alleged” ? You know if the guy stepped in front of the bullet, he wasnt supposed to be there !! so, explain the alleged part, please
Report Post »BumperMorgan
Posted on May 10, 2012 at 1:33amSo. I have one that is almost 100 years old and it shoots just fine. Colt .45acp made in 1914.
Report Post »FromSeaToSea
Posted on May 10, 2012 at 12:52amNominated For – The 2012 Presidential Award – A True American Hero
Report Post »OutlawJoseyWales
Posted on May 10, 2012 at 12:25amLuger? Really? I don’t understand this article AT ALL. Nobody carried a Luger in Korea, nobody. Unless there was some escaped S.S. that joined the North Koreans or something. Nuts! This is why reporters are NOT trusted, they can’t get much of anything right when it comes to…hold your ears media-types…guns!
Report Post »A Luger was a German sidearm, and was the prized war souvenir of W.W. 1 and W.W. 2, by G.I.’s in Europe. I can tell you that NO WAY, NO HOW did this guy carry a Lugar in Korea. I don’t even know how he would have come across one in Korea. It would be a stretch, but…maybe the Soviets gave it to the Chinese or North Koreans? Then, if he GOT it somehow in Korea from one of them. He certainly wouldn’t be “carrying” it because it’s 9mm, there wasn’t anything in the GI world that was 9mm. If he was “carrrying” it that would have been all he would be doing with it, certainly not shooting it. This isn’t some silly war movie where the guns are all wrong is it? I mean really?
So, the only thing I can think of is that this “reporter” has no clue whatsoever that this man was shooting. Typical media, clueless in the real world. Duh.
Smokey_Bojangles
Posted on May 10, 2012 at 1:00amThe Luger is a fully automatic machine gun that hold 60 million rounds and is designed to shoot baby seals and school kids………By Media standards anyway. Maybe a WW2 vet gave him the gun? How he would have gotten 9mm I have no idea. The Russians had captured Lugers. There was the Browning Hi-Power 9 mm semi-automatic handgun. The Nambu pistol looks kinda like a Luger.He could have gotten that from a dead Commie or Something?Or Maybe it is as you said.Media BS.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on May 10, 2012 at 1:20am@SMOKEY…
Report Post »That Luger of yours… is just what I am looking for :)
Nickallsopp
Posted on May 10, 2012 at 1:44am@outlawjoseywales
You know, getting a 9mm handgunis not that difficult. there are plenty of ways hes could’ve got his hands one including a German lugar. At the time, (and now that I think about even today) 9mm handguns are far more popular than 45′s. During WWII the 9mm was used by all waring nations including Germany, France, Italy, UK (who also used the 455 Webbly), Russia, China, and most of Eastern Europe. 9mm was more popular because it was lighter and cheaper to make, it was easier to control recoil and had just enough stopping power to drop a charging soldier in his tracks. So it doesn’t suprise me that he had a 9mm luger in Korea. It was most likely a war trophy from a returning veteran of WWII who passed it to. And he probably got his ammo from dead DPRK soldiers during the war. to me it’s not suprise at all.
Report Post »usmc1063
Posted on May 10, 2012 at 12:24amThis dirt bag recieved a very good object lesson. Never break into a home of a 84 year old War Veteran. He found out the hard way that only God can make a man but Sam Colt makes them equal.
Report Post »American_Woman
Posted on May 10, 2012 at 12:22amGooch, I bet it is the first time those morons and bums have had any discipline; it’s good for them even though it may be hard on the other recruits. The other benefit I saw in Israel with all their citizens serving in the military, is that they are in good shape. You see the older folks still outside exercising.
Report Post »ContinentalArmy
Posted on May 10, 2012 at 12:15amGood for Mr. Ricciutti. I for one will do the same to any Perp who even tries breaking into my home! Don‘t invade and you won’t get lead poisoning!! Hiles you should have gotten a job instead of becoming a punk ass thief!!
Report Post »Tree_Butcher
Posted on May 9, 2012 at 11:52pmOld soldier, old gun, new bullets, good combination!
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on May 10, 2012 at 12:14amBetter… a 1911 45… than a Cute Luger!
Report Post »DEFCON4
Posted on May 10, 2012 at 12:17amGood follow-up ! Dare, I ask do you butcher trees ?
Report Post »The Gooch
Posted on May 9, 2012 at 11:35pmTake heed. In the eyes of much of the world, Ricciutti is now a criminal as “progressive” nations believe no individual has a right to self-defense. This stance has been defined by the U.N. and is in effect in the EU. There are plenty of progressive blowhards who asset Ricciutti should’ve curled up in the fetal position and hoped for the best while accepting the worst.
Report Post »What’s really laughable is this is the same crowd that is asserting that marriage is a right and is subject to being redefined by the state. Because it’s okay for the state to rule in their favor, but it’s govt. interference if the democratic process asserts marriage is between a male and female.
Progressive logic:
Self-defense is not a right… even though the natural world shows us that plants and animals will defend themselves when threatened. When self-defense is a right, that means at some point you can and should protect yourself from the state. Wouldn’t want that, now would we?
Marriage, a human construct defined and limited by religions, races, cultures and states for millenia is suddenly a right. This stance on marriage is not historically supported. The “marriage is a right” argument is fairly new (within the last 45 years or so). And with that, it also gets to be redefined. Why? To placate a fringe group engaged in anomalous behavior.
I say the old fellow should’ve done his neighbors a favor and took a 2nd shot, but he clearly harbors more mercy than me.
lukerw
Posted on May 9, 2012 at 11:46pmSelf Defense is a Natural Right… it is Socialism & Fascism that are UnNatural!
Report Post »P1gunslinger
Posted on May 9, 2012 at 11:31pmOOPS I did not read the last line it was hidden by a dump pop up add. Hey Blaze stop it with the pop ups!
Report Post »P1gunslinger
Posted on May 9, 2012 at 11:29pmMention the gun in the headline but not in the story? WTH?
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on May 9, 2012 at 11:26pmWhere did he get… a German Luger… in Korea?
Report Post »Exrepublisheep
Posted on May 9, 2012 at 11:48pmTimes were tough, it was b.y.o.g.
Report Post »BurntHills
Posted on May 9, 2012 at 11:23pmGod bless the elderly veteran.
Report Post »recoveringneocon
Posted on May 9, 2012 at 11:21pmGerman Luger pistol he had used in the Korean War back when he was a soldier…….??????
Report Post »What did he bring his own gun to Korea ? How about a 1911?
JanZizka
Posted on May 10, 2012 at 12:38pmHe may very well have brought his own, regulations weren’t nearly as asinine back then regarding that sort of thing. There were plenty of bringback firearms floating around in America post-war and Lugers didn’t have nearly the outsized value they do today. Ammunition shouldn’t have been a problem, the other UN / NATO forces involved in Korea mostly standardized on 9mm and while the DPRK used mostly Soviet/Chicom weaponry they also used plenty of other items they could get their hands on.
That said, I think this is another case of bad reporting by media morons who barely even know which end is the muzzle when it comes to firearms. Any modern semi-auto is an ‘assault rifle’, a .50 muzzle loader becomes a ‘high caliber sniper rifle’, and any old handgun is a ‘Luger’ according to these retards.
Report Post »1TrueOne55
Posted on May 9, 2012 at 11:20pmIt just goes to show that quality firearms work when needed.
Report Post »American_Woman
Posted on May 9, 2012 at 11:15pmThis is a good story. In Israel, both males and females must serve in the military. After they serve two years, they are more disciplined and can enter into college. All men and women are trained in using firearms. All citizens should be trained in self-defense. Good job Ricciutti !
Report Post »The Gooch
Posted on May 9, 2012 at 11:44pmMy son is finishing up U.S. Army basic training and has written me about the washouts and whackjobs who bothered to sign up and make the experience more memorable for everyone. Even with a volunteer force, the military is subject to morons and bums. While I agree with you in spirit, if put into effect, the U.S. military would be turned into a babysitting service for all the fat, emotionally stunted pukes who couldn’t find their own @$$ with a compass, map, flashlight and verbal directives. I always liked Robert Heinlein’s approach in the book Starship Troopers: Service leads to full citizenship. The pukes get to stand by on the sidelines and complain… but not vote.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on May 9, 2012 at 11:12pmNever invade the home of an old solider; he still knows how to shoot.
Report Post »silentwatcher
Posted on May 9, 2012 at 11:49pmThe best crime deterrent there is…a citizen with a weapon.
Report Post »